


I Won’t Say I’m In Love

by Kougayon



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, M/M, hercules au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29972964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kougayon/pseuds/Kougayon
Summary: I love the Disney Hercules movie so I wrote this for pure fun in 2019 and never got around to posting it haha. Figured I might as well just share it : )
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	I Won’t Say I’m In Love

**Author's Note:**

> I love the Disney Hercules movie so I wrote this for pure fun in 2019 and never got around to posting it haha. Figured I might as well just share it : )

Long ago, in a faraway ancient land...   
  
there was a golden age of powerful gods...   
  
and extraordinary heroes.   
  
And the greatest and strongest of all these heroes...   
  
was the mighty son of Zeus.   
  
But what is the measure of a true hero?   
  
Ah, that is what our story is —

“ _ Ugh,  _ do you hear him? He’s making the story sound like some dumb, cliche tragedy!” 

“With all due respect, Master, I believe we should take it from here.” 

“Well then— we are the muses!”

“Goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of mighty heroes such as the one beheld in our story today.”

“But call us Caroline and Justine!” 

“Our story actually begins eons ago, when powerful beings known as titans ran amuck unto the earth, destroying all in their path through forces of wind, fire, stone, and ice—” 

“And that’s when the big guy, Zeuuesy himself, started chucking lightning bolts at ‘em! In the end, those good-for-nothing ingrates ended up getting imprisoned under the sea for eternity!” 

“Or so we thought…”

“Yeah, and that’s when Bolt Boy’s block-head brother, Hades, hatched a plan to take over the cosmos by busting out the titans and harnessing their awesome powers in order to enslave humanity and even the gods themselves!”

“However, an indisputable fault lied within his prophesied plan. A mighty hero, a son born from his godly brother of Olympus, would one day rise to take him on and win precisely eighteen years from his day of birth.” 

“Mr. God-of-the-Underworld wasn’t too fond of that little idea. So he sent his two little demon minions to go capture the tyke and force-feed him a potion that would make him mortal. Buuut...they screwed up and the kid wasn’t able to finish it all.”

“So, although he became mortal, the little one still retained his god-like strength. The two left the child to die in a nearby mountain pass. Not long after their departure, a humble market man by the name of Sojiro, found him and took him home, where he would raise the child until the day came for the young hero to fulfill his destiny. Eighteen years later, when the lost demigod finally realized his origins, he sought out the legendary trainer of heroes to begin his journey to reclaim his rightful place atop Olympus—”

“Okay, okay, I think they get it. Can we get to the good parts now?” 

“Fine.”

  
  
  
  
  


“This way! I think the scream came from over beyond this brush!” The anthropomorphic cat announced brightly as he approached a wall of hedges. He beckoned his curly haired champion over, quietly pulling back the leafy branches to reveal quite the sight awaiting on the other side. 

“ _ Argh,  _ put me  _ down,  _ Nessus!! I didn’t come here to —” the abnormally large centaur shook the captive person within his gripping fist, laughing darkly as the stranger attempted to struggle free. “Oh, I _ like  _ ‘em feisty.” The beast continued his rattling of the poor man with no regard to his protest. 

“I swear to Gods, you damn half-horse, put me down or I’ll —!”

“Or you’ll  _ what,  _ pretty boy? Bat your eyelashes at me?” 

This must have been the source of the screaming. It was a young man, struggling against the power of some sort of large centaur creature. A beast, an evil monster. A damsel in distress. A hectic situation to say the least. If someone didn’t do something soon, that poor man would be in great danger! 

What a perfect opportunity. 

“He needs help…” Akira was staring down the scene when he felt a tiny nudge against his side. He turned to see his trainer, Morgana, pulling down on his cape with a concentrated look. 

“Relax. Think of a strategy first. If you just go barreling out there like an idiot you’re definitely bound to get hurt or ki—”

A small winnie from Arsene as the black and red feathered horse gave him a powerful shove, pushing him into the open area before the plunge pool. Akira looked back to the bushes and then back towards his front where the commotion lies. Taking a deep breath, he drew his dagger, puffed out his chest in a mighty prose of power and approached the beast head-on. 

The cat pulled on the horse’s mane, clearly agitated. “What are you doing?? I said he needs a  _ strategy _ — Ugh...animals.” The horse tilted his head at the sheer irony. 

“Excuse me — I mean… _ Hey! _ ” 

The two ceased their fracas and simultaneously turned their heads towards the sudden disturbance, vexed confusion etched across their faces. “The hell do  _ you _ want,” the centaur’s exasperation turned to angry annoyance as he stepped towards the sudden challenger, “Two Legs?” 

Akira clears his throat, “I was...doing my patrols when I noticed a disturbance nearby! I’m gonna have to ask you to release that young —”

“Get lost, trash.” The brunette snapped at him, “This isn’t any of your business.” 

“But, you’re — aren’t you…you know….a bachelor in distress..?” The brawny young man questioned, a look of confusion pulling at his features as he fiddled with his dagger.

“I’m a bachelor….I’m in distress…I can handle this,” the mysterious brunette grunted out his sentence. Huffing breathlessly, he turned his head to flash a pleasant smile nearly dripping with sarcasm, “Have a nice day, okay?” 

Well this certainly wouldn’t do. He had to do  _ something _ . He’s supposed to be a mighty hero after all. What kind of hero would he be if he left a defenseless young man victim to a ferocious river centaur? 

Akira cleared his throat with a cough and stepped forward, blade in hand and voice deepened as he attempted to size up the river guardian, “Aha well, fear not young sir!  _ I  _ will save you from the clutches of this dangerous creature soon enou —”

**_SMACK_ **

The demigod’s heroic words were cut off when the centaur slapped an enormous, clenched fist against the side of his body, sending him flying across the glistening pool to land face first into a sturdy rock. 

The river guardian erupted into laughter, “ _ Pffft  _ BAHAHAHA —  _ This  _ is supposed to be a  _ hero?!  _ What a joke!”

“Ugh…” Goro groaned, unimpressed. 

“What are you doing?!” Morgana’s shrill voice cut through the air, “Get up!! Don’t let that foul foal get the better of you!!” 

With that, Akira took his chance to lift himself, shaking debris and rubble from his head and groaning from the sudden pain, yet very much still alive, “ _ Oww…”  _ His ears were still ringing from the power of the sudden impact. If not for his brute strength, that hit would have easily done him in. 

With the creature’s horrendous laughing still keeping him occupied, Akira seized his opportunity. Reaching into the water, he fumbled around desperately until finally locating the whereabouts of his dagger. Kneeled on a single knee with his thoughts quickly regathered, he took aim, and lunged the blade steadfast towards it’s target. Which was of course, the centaur’s unsightly eye. 

“AGH —” with a cry, the beast released hold of the young bachelor, dropping him into the water below. 

Before the guardian could so much as utter a protesting neigh through his frantic stomping, Akira charged forth and leapt into the air onto the beast’s back. 

The river guardian struggled greatly. Hooves stomping array as the powerful young man laid a barrage of punches against his head. Grabbing hold of his matty locks, he pulled on the half-horse’s mane, guiding him and stirring him into a galloping motion all around the pool. The beast attempted to shake him off in every way possible, kicking and bucking in every which way and direction he could register through his single good eye. Akira was determined though; and having a little too much fun with the situation as well. 

He guided the beast to charge towards a nearby tree lying just on the edge of the water. Tightening his thighs hold on the centaur’s back, he released his mane and reached up to grab at a particularly sturdy looking limb. Pulling himself up along with the creature, and with the help of the built up momentum, he was able to swing the both of them up and over the branch until releasing his leg’s hold on the monster’s back, sending him to the ground face-first. 

Morgana and Arsene’s cheers roared across the water way, “There you go, kid!! Let him have it!! Finish him off!!” 

The young hero cracked his knuckles, a sly grin plastered onto his face as he saw straight into the path of his victory, “You’re mine.” 

He was already by the centaur’s side by the time the beast flipped himself over. He latched both arms tightly around the large monster’s neck, effectively pulling him into a secure headlock. With his great and mighty strength, Akira spun his feet, taking the guardian trapped within his hold with him. Around, around, and around he spun the two ton creature until loosening his hold and throwing him far across the pool, slamming hard into the rocky layer hidden behind the waterfall. Finishing him off for good. 

Whoops and cheers boomed from both his trainer and stallion from behind him as they dashed to Akira’s side. “What a fantastic victory! And your first one at that!” Morgana praised, voice lowering at his next words to the winged horse, “A little awkward and messy in the first half, but hey, it’s a start.” 

“ **_Cough, cough_ ** —  _ Ugh.”  _

Akira was relishing in the pride of his triumph when he took notice of the distressed bachelor sitting in the middle of the water, clothes completely drenched and sputtering through the wet bangs that draped over his face. Akira immediately dashed to his side to lift the young man into his arms and carry him to land. 

“Oh…geez, I’m… really sorry about that, sir. That was dumb.” He carefully set the very wet brunette down near the water’s edge, holding his shoulders steady to help him stand until he regained his composure. 

“ _ Dumb,  _ doesn’t even  _ begin  _ to describe your actions.” The young man laid out with a rebuking tone. “I was perfectly fine on my own until  _ you  _ butted in.” 

“Huh? Hey, I stopped him, didn’t I—”

“Your bullheaded recklessness not only served to piss off the beast even more but caused me to be dropped into the water beneath him and his violent throes. What would you have done if I had been stomped on, or kicked, or crushed, or drowned? You were so preoccupied with winning against the river guardian, that you completely disregarded your  _ ‘bachelor’  _ entirely. In the end, your idiocy nearly got me killed and if that had happened then all of your efforts would have been for nothing.” The brunette stated firmly while ringing the water out of his red and white toga. 

Akira was silent. Bashfulness etched itself into his normally rock-solid features. 

“I have  _ never  _ seen a supposed  _ hero  _ act in a more careless, selfish, unprofessional, arrogant, witless, and downright  _ sloppy  _ manner.” 

The hero’s confidence was quickly replaced with pale shame at the other boy’s harsh and brutally honest criticism. 

“But,” a sigh from the other as he continued, features turning soft as he faced the brawny young man, “I suppose you did still save me from a rather potentially revolting situation. So…thank you.” 

Akira smiled softly, “...You’re welcome.” 

The other returned to his bent over position to ring his hair out while the raven haired hero remained standing and gazing carefully for a moment. Akira sputtered when he realized he was staring a little  _ too _ much. 

“O-oh, well uh,” Akira cleared his throat nervously, “Are you okay...Mr…” 

A sudden splash of water from the brunettes soaked hair being flipped into his face as he stood up straight cut him off. “Gregory, ironically enough. My friends call me Goro or at least they would if I had any friends” he said flatly. 

“So,” Goro continued, “have people given you a name to match those, somewhat obnoxious, rippling pectorals?” 

“Uh, um, I — uh…” Akira sputtered. 

“Not very articulate in the so called,  _ Spoken Word _ , though, are you?” 

“ _ Akira— _ ” The hero blurted quickly. “M-my name is Akira.” 

Goro ringed out the last bit of water from his clothes and seated himself on a nearby tree root, “Akira...Huh, I think I prefer Trash.” Goro’s words were teasing but playful.

Akira rubbed at his neck awkwardly, not quite knowing what to do with his hands, “So, how’d you end up all the way out here?” 

“Oh, you mean with Half-Horse over there?” Goro gestured to the very dead centaur still laying in the water. “I was simply doing some business in the woods when he decided to snatch me up. You know how men are, they think ‘No’ means ‘Yes’ and ‘Fuck off’ means ‘Please take me I’m yours’... I think your cat friend here can explain it to you better.” 

Morgana bared his fangs, “Hey, who are you calling a cat—” a sudden dark-red wing from Arsene expanded in front of the tiny creature to hold him back. 

“Well,” Goro said as he sat up, “I should probably be going now. Thank you again for helping me.” 

“Wait— I’d hate to just leave you in the middle of the woods. Why don’t we give you a ride? We’re going to Thebes next” Akira asked while gesturing to the comically proud standing Pegasus behind him. 

Goro’s expression flickered for a moment, “Oh… thank you, but… I try to stay away from Thebes.” 

“Not a fan of big cities?” 

Goro paused for a moment, “...You could say that.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Akira didn’t want to just leave the young man alone in the woods. It was dangerous after all. There may have been more monsters lurking. But, if Goro didn’t want to, he supposed he couldn’t fight him on it. 

“I’ll be alright” the brunette laughed pleasantly, “I’m a big boy, I’ll make it. I can tie my own toga and everything.” 

“Well, alright, if you insist” Akira mounted his winged companion, Morgana pulled onto his shoulder, “Take care, Goro.”

With that, they took off, feathered stallion soaring and weaving into the sky, guiding the hero on it’s back above and away from the forest. Goro leaned up against one of the larger trees and waved them goodbye as he watched the the trio fade from view. “You too, wonderboy” he whispered to no one in particular. 

  
  
  
  


“After making his way to the great city of Thebes, where our hero could finally begin to truly make a name for himself.”

“And all the while, that creep named Hades kept an awfully close watch on him.”

“Yes. Hades, now aware that his two minions had failed in their mission to be rid of the child permanently, was determined to stop the hero at all costs. He sent countless numbers of monsters, mythos, and vile creatures after him. All in a desperate attempt to kill him before he could fulfill the prophecy and ruin his plan.”

“Minotaurs, gorgons, hydras, demons,  _ everything  _ he had in his little arsenal, he threw at Akira only to be defeated!”

“Ironically enough, his attempts to kill the young hero only served to increase his popularity across the country, earning him countless rewards and adoration from everyone around him.”

“And boy, did that piss Hades  _ off.”  _

“Anyway, let us continue with the story.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


Goro had already snuck his way inside of the large, pristine, stone manor when he caught glimpse of the barrage of fans dashing out through the front entrance. All of them were a mixture of joyous screams and calls of Akira’s name as Morgana chased them away from the veranda. 

Closing the heavy door behind him, he casually wandered into the immaculate, trophy-lined foyer until noticing a rather suspicious bush of curly black hair poking out from underneath a blanket-covered lump laid out atop a nearby sofa. 

He smirked a bit at the sight. 

“Hm, let’s see...Where, oh where could that big, strong superstar have possibly gone?” The brunette said teasingly as he took his spot on top of the blanket lump without warning, knocking the air out of the surprised boy beneath him. 

“Hey—!” Akira squirmed and threw the blanket away from his face only to freeze when he saw it was Goro sitting on his lap, legs crossed and arms folded as he smiled at the raven. “G-Goro!” 

“So, is this what heroes do in their free time? Lounge around and lift dumbbells as their fangirls and fanboys swarm all over them?” The boy snickered. 

Akira sputtered, realizing the brunette was nonchalantly seated on his  _ lap  _ of all places, “O-Oh, no, uh it’s...it’s mostly Morgana’s idea so…” 

“Hm. Sounds like you could use a little break” Goro reached around to grab and fiddle with the cheesy, plastic, pec-popping action figure modeled after the hero he was currently pinning down. 

“A...break?” 

“Yeah, of course, why not? You’re always saving towns, bashing up monsters, and signing merch contracts aren’t you? Wouldn’t it feel nice to just have a day to yourself?” The brunette smiled. 

The hero blinked and sighed, “Oh. I mean… I don’t know. Morgana has me booked today. Besides, he’d probably kill me with laps around the stadium if I ran off without a w-w-word?” Akira sputtered when Goro lifted a soft hand to the top of his head, fingers running through his curly locks until making their way downwards to cup his cheek. “Please? It’s just one, little day off from hero work… Surely your little nanny cat won't mind. You deserve to have a bit of fun every now and then.” 

This was too much. 

Akira considered for a moment, thinking, before looking back and smiling. 

  
  
  
  


Laughter echoed from across the Parthenon stone gardens that night as the two boys returned from their day of escapades, away from hero duty and in the comfort of none other than each other’s presence. 

However, Goro himself still had a certain secret task to fulfill, although now begrudgingly. 

Akira’s soft laugh rang through the tunnel of vibrant flowers as they walked out into the open garden itself, “Wow, what a  _ day.  _ First that restaurant… and that cafè — oh and those funny books you read to me about in the shop.” 

“It’s called  _ philosophy _ , moron” Goro smiled.

Their bellowing ensued as two familiar looking birds perched themselves atop Goro’s shoulders, one a small crow and the other a red and gold songbird. 

“A robin? Really?” Goro whispered, unimpressed. 

“ _ Remember what needs to be done, young prince”  _ the crow’s dreadful voice rang quietly into the boy’s ear, like a silent wind. “It is for your freedom, after all” the robin cooed next. 

Goro sighed, annoyed. “I know, I know — Gods, will you just leave me  _ alone _ ” the brunette whispered agitatedly before waving his hand to shoo the two creatures away. 

“You say something?” Akira asked. 

“Oh— no, no, haha…Just some pesky birds chirping in a nearby tree or something.” If only they  _ were  _ simply nothing more than birds. Goro looked back to the two feathered creatures still glaring at him from a bird fountain across the way and sighed once more. 

Time to perform. 

“Ohh—” Goro exasperated as he tripped on his own to be caught into Akira’s awaiting arms. “Are you alright?” The dark haired boy looked concerned. 

“Hm, yeah. Just uh...low weak ankles I guess” the brunette fibbed with a small laugh. 

“Maybe you’d better sit down then,” Akira said as he bent down to scoop the brunette into his arms, much to his surprise, and carry him to a nearby bench. 

“So...do you have any problems with things weak ankles? Maybe things like...” without warning he flung a slim leg up and over to Akira’s chest, his calf inches away from his bewildered face, “...this?” 

“H-huh?” 

Goro continued, hands creeping up to the other boy's toned chest, “You know, a weak area? Perhaps a disfigured appendage? I mean you  _ are  _ always fighting those frightening monsters all the time. Surely you must have sustained some sort of vital injury?” 

“Uhh—”

“Ohh, perhaps some…” the brunette’s other hand traveled up to his own shoulder to pull at his toga straps, “shoulder tension?” He took careful note of Akira’s curious eyes peeking down his now partially exposed chest. 

The raven only looked at him and laughed. 

“You’re very pretty, but I prefer to wait till the third date at least” he smirked, sliding Goro’s toga straps back over his shoulders. 

Goro scoffed, he really is  _ perfect.  _

Suddenly his ankles weren’t so weak anymore as he stood up to go stare at his reflection in the pond. Anything to avoid that tauntingly innocent gaze from the idiot next to him. Yet said moron still continued to talk to him as he followed behind. 

“You know, when I was a kid, I would’ve given anything to be exactly like everybody else.”

Goro scoffed, “You wanted to be petty and dishonest?”

“Everybody’s not like that…”

The brunette’s guiltful expression reflected back to him, desolate and lonely. “Yes, they are.”

“You’re not like that.” 

“How do you know what I’m like?” Goro’s voice was soft, almost weak even. Hardly a whisper as he continued staring at the forlorn face of a forgotten prince. 

A pair of strong and chiseled, yet somehow soft hands came to rest of his shoulders, thumbs rubbing soothing circles around the skin. A touch that was almost too gentle to be real. The brunette hadn’t felt such a thing since he was a mere child. 

“All I know is…” Akira’s voice was soft, full of heart, “You're the most amazing person with weak ankles I’ve ever met.” That last part came in a playful laugh. “And that when I’m with you...I don’t feel so... _ alone.” _

“Sometimes it’s better to be alone.”

“What do you mean?”

The sad prince rippling in the water continued to stare back at him. Goro’s voice was a simple whisper, “Nobody can hurt you.” 

Silence, and then, a pair of hands grabbed for his own. Strong yet gentle within their grasp. Rough calluses rubbed soothingly over the layer of soft skin as he took the other’s hands within his. 

“I’d never hurt you,” the raven’s voice was almost a whisper, “you know that.” 

More silence. Goro wanted to agree, and part of him believed the other boy, but there was that underlying feeling beneath the surface. The dark truth of it all was still there. The hero said he’ll never hurt him, but could Goro really say the same in return, given his circumstances? His current task? 

Goro shook his head, “I don’t want to hurt you either so…” 

He suddenly found his chin captured between the other’s thumb and index, his head tilting upwards to face the other with a gentle grace he had never seen the hero display before. “We should probably…” he wanted to argue, to pull away, but now he was being pulled towards a careful, loving man as the other leaned forward himself, their lips brushing together and breathing almost in sync, “...Stop this.” 

His eyes were closing. Their lips were touching now, a hairbreadth away from a kiss. Goro found himself taken under the lull of it and leaning forward more. All of his worries beginning to melt away as he was taken into the hero’s delicate charm…

No. Snap out of it. 

Reality had hit him again. The worry returned to the pit of his stomach and he found himself opening his eyes again, hands coming up to slowly push the other away. His little dream had ended. 

“It’s late, you should probably go before your cat gets pissy at you.” 

Akira looked somewhat dejected at first, but his frown was quickly replaced with a beaming smile and he leaned in anyway to give the brunette the biggest hug, much to his surprise, as well as a daffodil snagged from the flower area placed in his hand. 

“Thank you for tonight, Goro.” 

  
  


After their sudden goodbye and Akira’s departure from the gardens, Goro sighed to himself. Lying against the short stone wall surrounding the edge of the fountain, he twirled the bright, pale flower between his slim fingers. Thoughts and emotions, ones he had never experienced before, swimmer through his mind. A familiar one, however, being that of regret. 

“I’m such an idiot.” He hugged the flower close to his chest and exhaled heavily. “You’d think I’d have learned my lesson by now.” 

Despite his troubles though, a smile etched itself unto his features. “Maybe this isn’t such a bad thing though,” he whispered to no one as he held the delicate petals to his nose, the light hue contrasting perfectly against the blush to his upper cheek. It’d been a long, long time since he had felt something like this. 

Maybe...just maybe he could finally have things  _ his  _ way for once. 

But of course, reality just had to go and kick him in the gut again. 

“How sentimental…” the deep, rustic voice called. 

Goro shot up from his lying position to be greeted by an all too familiar presence. A long, white cloak extended downward and covered the monster-like deity’s metallic, gold body, save for it’s prism-shaped head of course. It’s ‘face’ or he supposed, was more of a pristine etch of an expression carved into the thing’s features. A bluish-gold flame surrounded it’s shoulders, casting a light that reflected eerily off of the metallic halo above it’s head. A trail of decaying flowers along the walkway of the garden lead to where the thing stood. A heavenly appearance, but far from anything genuinely holy. 

Of course, it was Hades. Or otherly known as ‘Yaldabaoth’ or in some instances, ‘Demiurge.’ The damn thing had too many names regardless. 

Goro’s smile faded away to be replaced with an air of disgust. “ _ You.”  _

“How goes thy progress?” The robotic angel ignored the boy’s obvious distaste and asked demandingly. 

“Ah yes, about your deal,” Goro stood from his sitting position to face the foul thing, “I’ve changed my mind.” 

The mechanical halo whirred slightly. “What’s that? Changed your mind you say?”

“Yes. Get yourself another boy because I’m through.” 

Silence as Goro remained turned away with his arms crossed, a symbol of defiance. He never did like being told what to do by others. Especially not those with devious intentions. The air remained quiet until a laugh reverberated out of the metal beast, although to Goro’s ears it sounded more like jagged pieces of metal being rubbed together rather than amusement. 

“Dear boy, I believe you have forgotten one, rather important detail in this matter…” The thing’s flames brightened and increased as it approached Goro closely, metal halo spinning and whirring angrily now,

“ **_I OWN YOU.”_ **

A frightening display that would disturb any mere mortal, however Goro only rolled his eyes. 

The flames simmered down and it’s temper settled. “My boy, let us not forget the reason why you are here in the first place” he spoke arrogantly to the brunette. “You sold your soul to me in exchange for revenge against your cruel king of a father for the untimely death of your poor mother.” 

Goro flinched slightly at the memory. 

“And how did your people repay you? By banishing you from the city of Thebes. All because they were afraid that your line of rule would prove to be no different than that of your corrupt father before you.”

“Look I get it, okay? You don’t need to remind me.” He spoke solemnly but with conviction. “But that doesn’t matter to me anymore, I’ve made up my mind and I am  _ not  _ going to help you hurt him.” 

“You would sacrifice your freedom for the likes of some mortal?” 

“Yes...I would. For this one, I would.” Goro stood his ground, unnerved. 

Yaldabaoth straightened as it eyed Goro thoroughly. It was true, the boy truly had made up his mind. A stubborn and headstrong young man, he truly was one worthy of the title of a prince or perhaps even a king. It was a shame his own city had to betray him in such a way. 

However, his resilience had also served to seal his fate. For Yaldabaoth, had now finally, discovered the weakness of the hero he sought to destroy, as well as a plan to do just so. 

“Very well, then a sacrifice it shall be.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Akira was dashing around the stadium with the utmost joy stuck to his face. Leaping and bounding all over the obstacles as he practically bounced around the training grounds, Morgana yelling commands at him the entire time while the hero simply just laughed everywhere. 

“Not another word about your playing hooky until you’re finished with those two-hundred laps!” The cat ordered, but to no avail as Akira was nothing less than a ball of energy. 

“But how can I  _ not  _ talk about him?” Akira laughed heartily. “He’s so...so…”

“Amazing, beautiful, smart, funny, angelic, brave, charismatic — yeah we know. You’ve only been screaming at me and Arsene about it for the past thirty minutes.” 

The dark haired boy tittered softly. He knew he was being overwhelming but how could he not? He’d just had the most wonderful night of his in life in probably... _ ever.  _

“Sorry, I just can’t stop thinking about him. Pretty sure he’s gonna be stuck in my head for a while so be prepared for that.” 

“Looks like you’re breaking rule number seventeen pretty hard, huh?” Morgana sighed. “Well whatever, make goo-goo eyes at your new boyfriend all you want, but don’t go forgetting your trai—” 

“Hey, Mona catch!” 

Akira shouted in a nonchalant, happy manner as he carelessly tossed a two-ton barbell towards the small feline, to which the poor creature reacted by curling up into a shrieking ball of brazen fur. 

His worry dissipated into anger when he peaked out to see the hero had caught it just before it landed just inches away from the creature, a grin on his face accompanied by a laugh that could just about kill anyone with both cuteness and obnoxiousness. 

“Just kidding~” 

“Y-You nearly gave me a heart attack!!” 

“Eh, you’ll be fine. You’ve got eight lives left” the dark haired boy teased.

“T-Three-hundred! Three-hundred more laps!!” 

Akira ignored the miniature beast’s aggravated commands and continued swinging himself excitedly around the pole vault bar. 

Morgana rolled his eyes, but smiled regardless. He had never seen his pupil appear so joyous and full of life in such a way. Even if it was over something he considered as tawdry as the concept of ‘True Love,’ it was clearly filling him with a sense of powerful vigor. Hell, maybe this could even be something to prove beneficial for him. After all, hero work doesn’t have to be the one and  _ only  _ thing he can set his overzealous mind to, goals could come in all forms. Perhaps this was a personal one for the raven haired gladiator. 

He was happy for this big idiot. 

“Well good for you I suppose. I’m gonna go dig around the stadium closet for some more seed for that weird bird-horse of yours…” 

Just as the feline was wandering off, another barbell of sizely proportions is tossed blatantly over his head. Morgana let out another screech, this one a bit more ear piercing than the last, before Akira sped over to catch it before it’s unprecedented landing. 

“Stop it!!” Morgana snapped, “I don’t need to be crushed under the weight of anxiety because you’re a little excited!!” 

“That wasn’t me.” Akira was already staring down at the sudden appearance of a mysterious figure in a white cloak standing before him. Morgana’s annoyed quivers turned into a guarded glare as he stiffened. 

The figure’s deep voice uttered its words tauntingly, “Oh apologies, I was in need of a way to catch your attention but it appears my hand slipped and nearly crushed your little pet.” 

“Pet?!” Morgana was ready to charge at the stranger if not for Akira’s hand holding him back. 

The raven stared down figure. 

“Oh where are my manners,” the metallic stranger laughed as it ruffled its robes and stepped forward, “I am known as Yaldabaoth, or Hades as you mortals say, ruler of the underworld.” 

“What do you want?” Akira asked firmly. 

“I’ve come here to offer you a deal. You like challenges do you not, o’ hero?” 

“Not interested.” 

The raven’s attempt to simply wave off Hades with a refusal was ignored, and the dark god simply chuckled sinisterly in response. 

“I think you’ll find my offer a little harder to refuse once you see the bit of leverage I’ve brought with me.” 

With a chuckle and the snap of the malevolent god’s fingers, an array of smoke appeared around his gold-plated claws. In the fading of the smoke was a horrific sight in which Akira was in no way prepared for. 

It was Goro, loosely held up by the cloth of his toga within the god’s grasp as he dangled lifelessly. 

“...Goro?” The hero was stricken, horrified and confused whisper caught between his lips as the god nonchalantly tossed the brunette to the ground and he found himself immediately running to the other boy’s side. 

“Goro?!  _ Goro—!!”  _

Akira flipped his stiff body over and ran his hands in every which way around his arms, chest, and face, checking for injuries when he noticed something far more terrifying. He was...cold. His body stiff, unmoving. There was no ride and fall of his chest, no sign of breathing. The once vibrant, rosy color of his cheeks had appeared pale and faded. His lips were slightly parted yet no breath emitted from between. Akira could only cup his face and scream his name and beg him to wake up. But Goro’s eyes remained closed. 

“I’m afraid screaming at the poor thing won’t do you any good. He can’t hear you from where he is now.” 

“What did you do to him?!” 

“Me? I didn’t do anything to him. He’s the one who made the choice to sell his soul to me, and  _ he  _ is the one who made the choice to give up his own life rather than take yours.” 

“What…?”

The dark god snickered, “Ohh, that’s right, he didn’t tell you did he? Your lover there was under my control the whole time. I ordered him to get close to you and find some sort of weakness... Although I suppose I underestimated the power of mortal relationships, his refusal to harm you was quite audacious. Admittedly, I did not expect such an outcome. Although I suppose in the end it worked in my favor. His foolish rebellion may just prove useful to me in one way.” 

The raw anger and desperation that twisted Akira’s face just then. He lunged for the god before him in a fit of mighty rage, only to find himself phase through the creature’s body of smoke and tumble the to the ground. Hades ignored him and continued on with it’s monologue. 

“Now, fret not, all isn’t lost quite yet. That is what my offer is all about.” 

Akira was furious, nearly animalistic in his anger,  _ pissed _ , but he listened intently with clenched fists and gritted teeth. 

“What if I told you that there was still some way for you to save this young man?” 

“If you’re lying to me I’ll—” 

“It is no lie. I am the god of the dead am I not? A resurrection is more than within my power. All you have to do is follow me to the underworld for your... _ task _ .” 

Everything about this spelt ‘bad idea’ to him, from the shady offer to the fact that this literal god of destruction and everything unholy was the one offering such a deal to him, but Akira didn’t see much of a choice for himself in the matter either. He felt a gentle paw rest upon his shoulder at that moment. He glanced over to see a certain fuzzy face accompanied by a soft, meaningful smile. 

“We’ll watch over him. You go do what you have to do.” 

The raven pondered for a moment before tilting his heads up to nod in agreement, his eyes filled with a guarded determination. 

“Come, I’ll take you to my lair then.” 

  
  
  
  


‘Dark and gloomy’ didn’t even  _ begin  _ to describe the damned place. The large, crevicing caverns of the underworld stretched on for probably miles. Akira had heard stories about this place, ones he remembered Sojiro reciting to him as they plowed the fields or simply relaxed by the makeshift fireplace of their stone home. His most distinct memory of the tales was the descriptions for the underworld itself; dark, dreadful, full of death and fire… The overarching caverns that stood before the raven seemed to match such a description perfectly, especially when Hades had finally brought them to their supposed destination. 

Akira peered downward from his spot upon the bluff to carefully observe the mouth of the River Styx. The mouth, where the infinitely stretching River of the Dead came to a final end, was an enormous, glowing pool that swirled endlessly with gods-knows how many poor souls. Moans and hoarse cries of eternal agony reverberated throughout the cave from the depths of the deadly waters. 

Truly, this was not a sight for mere mortals, or at least ones of the living. It’s possible that the hero was the first one to set foot in here  _ alive.  _

A familiar silhouette of a soul whisking away in the pool instantly catches the raven’s attention. 

“Goro—!” Akira reached into the dark waters for his lover’s frame, only to immediately draw back by an intense burning enveloping his hands, wincing in an unfamiliar pain. He glanced at his wrists in horror to find that they had temporarily…shriveled and weakened. Was this…the River Styx’ power? 

The dark god chuckled, “Ah-Ah, no touching. As in it’s very name, the River of Death is an endlessly streaming current of passing souls and withering lives. It is polluted with the souls of the damned, collected throughout thousands of years. The river’s ravenous appetite for demise is so potent, that so much as a single touch is capable of draining one’s life away. Even the supposedly mightiest of heroes are not immune to its pull.”

Akira paused, grim realization dawning on him. Suddenly he understood exactly what this offer is, and why Hades approached him on it so eagerly. 

“I’m assuming… that this is part of the deal.” 

“Hm. Perhaps you’re not all brawn afterall, boy.” 

Hades stood conceited, fires calm around his shoulders. An uncomfortable air of confidence surrounded him. 

“A life for a life. If you can manage to dive into the river, grab hold of your lover’s soul, and return to the surface in one piece, I will let you return to the land of the living to restore his life force—”

“And his freedom.” 

The robotic angel paused. 

“You have to promise he’ll be free from  _ you”  _ Akira demanded. 

The strange halo whirred slightly as the fires simmered. The god was clearly annoyed. But agreed to the stakes. After all, what’s the life of just one boy to it anyway? Once the prince’s role to act as bait for be ridding of the meddlesome hero was completed, Yaldabaoth would no longer have use for him anyway. The metallic demon conquered over easily millions of souls in this domain. It could spare just one. 

“But if you  _ fail _ ,” the deranged deity’s dark snickers ensued, “then both you  _ and  _ he shall remain trapped here for eternity as timeless slaves to the underworld.” 

The raven was afraid, but did not falter. This was for Goro after all. He accepted the perilous terms, and dove straight from the bluff, to the dark waters below. 

“Oh, I almost forgot. You will be dead, before you can even get to him. That’s not a problem is it?” The god muttered to the already out-of-earshot hero below. 

Meanwhile, in the bottomless waters of the river below, Akira found himself finally submerged into the innards of the Styx. 

It was dark. Cold. A strange sense of dread and loneliness encompassed his heart. Powerful burning sensations similar to what his hand experienced moments ago wrapped themselves around his figure like a python leering for its prey. The place was concealed swirl of torment. Truly a bottomless pit of souls. Did Akira feel scared? Of course he did, but that changed nothing within his heart. He knew where he was needed, and that lied deeper down below into the caving waters where a certain precious soul wandered aimlessly, waiting. 

He wasted no time, his legs and arms went to work with kicking and paddling, stretching and extending with utmost haste. 

He swam with urgency towards the floating boy below. 

Never once did he even stop to glance at his literally withering body. His skin turning gray and cold, bones becoming brittle. 

He kept on with swimming. 

His hair even began fading into a different color, the strands transforming into dry and dead strings. 

He kept on with his swimming. 

Too many souls around him moaned and cried. Were they all agonized? Perhaps they were in cheer for him? 

He ignored the millions around him and continued swimming. 

The brunette was far closer now,  _ much  _ closer. Akira could see his transparent figure whisking away slowly. His eyes were closed and he remained quiet unlike the other souls. Maybe he was waiting for him. 

The raven’s vision grew dark, blurry. His senses were quickly fading away. He was running out of time. Yet all the while he kept his head forward and never once removed his onwardly stare from Goro. He was the reason he was here. 

He swam desperately towards him all while feeling the jagged claws of death itself penetrating the skin of his soul, latching onto him and waiting for just the perfect moment when they could finally sink their dastardly knives in. 

He could feel his own thread being pulled taught, scissors of finality ready for their task. 

He swam. 

And swam. 

And never stopped. 

His breath gone long ago, running on the very little and rapidly melting force of his life he had left. 

He was  _ dying.  _

He was so close, so within his grasp. He was  _ right there.  _ He could’ve almost touched him, if just a little further—

And then it stopped. 

The pain, the cold, the feeling of life voiding itself away from his body, it all stopped. 

The thread remained intact. 

His body returned— no,  _ rebirthed  _ itself into something entirely different. His strength gradually coming back to him while also increasing. He felt vastly different. 

Akira’s hand gripped the edge of the cliff with certainty and pulled himself atop. His complexion was illuminating as he climbed above, the ghostly figure of the prince as good as free resting carefully within his arms. 

“No...no this is  _ impossible _ , you cannot be  _ alive.  _ You would have to be some sort of—  **_God??_ ** ”

Akira’s face was utterly brazen and unshaken in his movements as he walked away from the water’s edge, completely disregarding he g the god of death’s rampant tantrums and mechanical whirs of outrage at the utter failure of it’s plan. 

A molten flash of fire thrown before him stops Akira in his tracks. 

“I will  _ not  _ allow this illogicality!! You are supposed to be  _ dead.”  _ The otherworldly king protested as it stepped before the increasingly irascible hero. The fire upon his shoulders burning brightly and hot with the smell of copper. Yet Akira remained imperturbable. 

“This is preposterous… You dare rob me of my destiny, and now you rob me of my servant—?!” 

The god’s furious demurrals are cut off suddenly when the dark haired hero irritatingly grabs for it’s annoying, mechanical halo, stopping the damn thing’s aggressive movements in grasp of his hand and pulls the beast closer. 

“... _ Begone. _ ” 

With a powerful thrust of his arm, Akira swings the god by the grip of its halo and chucks the false angel over the bluff and into the watery depths of vengeful souls below. 

That’ll keep him cooled off until he gets out of there. 

_ If _ he gets out of there. 

  
  
  


Akira returned to find Morgana and Arsene were guarding Goro’s still body while awaiting for him, just as promised. The brunette was gently propped against a nearby rock, eyes still closed and all color faded from his complexion. The small creatures watched worriedly as he approached the prince’s empty body with his soul cradled in his arms. The raven kneeled beside the boy and gently laid the ghostly figure atop his body. 

The silhouette faded into the boy below and with its disappearance, returned Goro’s warmth and color, his chest rising as he inhaled deeply. He slowly came to as he opened his eyes at last, the bright hue of auburn red in which Akira missed so deeply looking back at him in almost complete disbelief. 

“Akira…” 

The raven smiled warmly as he helped the other boy to his feet. 

“Why did you… ?” 

“People do crazy things,” Akira’s voice was gentle as he held the other boy’s hands in his own, appreciating the warmth spreading through his smooth palms, “when they’re in love.” 

Goro returned his smile wholeheartedly with one of his own. He was leaning in with parted lips when they found themselves interrupted by a sudden glowing light appearing out of thin air. 

Before them, in the midst of the rubble, was a sort of golden luminescent gate standing on its own. They watched with amusing curiosity as the doors swung open and out walked two…young girls in blue and gold stolas? 

The quieter of the two was the first to address them, “Congratulations, demigod. Your honorable and heroic actions have at long last been recognized by your father, and thus, your godhood has officially been restored.” 

“Restored?” 

“Yeah, frizzy hair you heard her right. You’re being promoted” the louder of the two sporting the curled up twin braids blurted. “You’ve been recognized as a true hero so your immortal status is back, which means you can finally go home to Olympus!” 

“Home…” 

Akira pondered the words in his mind. Home…His  _ home _ . Olympus was the mightiest and most sacred of mountain tops in the land, the place of gods. The place where his family resided. His fathers, siblings, all of the immortal heroes of legends reigned there. He overcame countless obstacles, met a number of fantastic people, fought bravely against gods knows how many monsters. He had been yearning for this day for so long. 

And yet, that no longer mattered to him anymore. 

He glanced over to Morgana watching him with pride, Arsene with careful eyes, and Goro’s dejected yet still smiling face. 

“Actually,”

No. 

He knew where his home was. 

“I’ve decided… to stay here. On earth.” 

The twins looked at each other confused. “Hah? Why would you wanna do _ that _ ?” The loud one questioned. 

“The middle realm still needs a hero don’t they? And besides,” 

Akira approached the surprised brunette, carefully entangling their fingers together and smiling gently to him. 

“Olympus doesn’t have my prince.” 

The twin muses looked back and forth between each other and the two boys before them. After a long moment, they nodded understandingly.

“Of course, if that is what you truly desire, then we will abide.” 

With the snap of her fingers, Akira’s glowing aura vanished as well as his eternal life, his godhood replaced with his former mortality. 

The faint sound of sniffling caught the others attention. She looked over to find her sister apparently wiping her tear stained eyes with her scarf. “Caroline, are you crying?” 

“ _ No.  _ I just, well, good for  _ them _ , I guess.” 

“Happy endings to our stories always make you cry don’t they?” The quieter one snickered softly. 

“S-shut it!” 

The muse twins continued with their bickering and banters until finally returning to the iridescent gate to vanish along with it, surely returning to Olympus as they left the demigod hero alone with his companions. 

Akira’s gaze into where the gate formerly lied was pulled away by a sudden sash carefully wrapped his neck, with a certain resolute prince on the other end of it now staring face to face with him. 

“So…  _ your  _ prince, huh?”

Akira blushed, turning bashful at the memory of his own words. “Well, I, uh—”

Goro tugged against the sash and pulled him closer into a gentle kiss, effectively shutting him up before he could embarrass himself even more. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
